Passengers traveling by automobile or other motor vehicle frequently find it useful or enjoyable to consume beverages or to smoke cigarettes while en route. Such travelers may carry with them individual bottles or cans of their favorite beverage, and may also carry cigarettes. However, many beverage containers are very light and easily upset while traveling in a vehicle, therefore cupholders are often provided in vehicle passenger compartments. Also, ashtrays are commonly provided for easy access to smoking passengers.
Consequently a number of devices have been developed which provide cupholders or ashtrays to vehicle passengers. Some such cupholder trays or ashtray receptacles are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,759 to Kathiria, U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,771 to Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,411 to Elwell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,108 to Blazic and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,772 to Phifer.
Among the deficiencies noted in the prior art devices is that they use valuable interior space and usable surfaces in the passenger compartment to perform a function for which demand is intermittent. Also, devices may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the passenger compartment. In addition, the prior art provides no known trays which provide both cupholder and ashtray access to vehicle occupants.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a vehicle tray which carries a cupholder, and an ashtray, or other storage devices. It is also desirable to provide such a tray which does not detract from the aesthetic appearance of a vehicle passenger compartment.